Schools accused of discrimination

Some parents of children studying in Khaitan Public School and DLF Public School in Ghaziabad have alleged that the schools have discriminated against their children and are harassing them following a recent fee hike issue, reports Peeyush Khandelwal.

Some parents of children studying in Khaitan Public School and DLF Public School in Ghaziabad have alleged that the schools have discriminated against their children and are harassing them following a recent fee hike issue.

The District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) has sent letters to the two schools telling them not to discriminate and also threatened to cancel their No Objection Certificate (NOC) to run the schools.

The parents appraised DIOS Ravinder Singh and Additional District Magistrate (City) SK Srivastava on the issue and demanded action against the schools.

As per the Uttar Pradesh government orders passed on June 29 this year, a district committee headed by the District Magistrate was to decide about the quantum of fee hike in schools run by CBSE, ICSE and the UP Board (excluding minority institutions).

Several schools in UP and the NCR filed a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court demanding quashing of the June 29 orders.

In an interim order by the High Court, the order passed by the district committee was stayed. The orders issued by the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Joint Secretary (Education), were also stayed.

On the basis of this stay by the HC, the schools say they can charge a hiked fee. Parents on the other hand argue that the HC has not given any specific orders that the hiked fee is to be charged.

“The half-yearly result for Class 10 has been held back. Some students were openly told that their parents had failed to deposit their fee,” said Shekhar Bharti from Khaitan Parents' Association.

“And some parents have been issued letters stating not to send children to the school in the near future.”

Khaitan Public School principal Nalini Bahl said letters have indeed been sent but only in those cases where parents have defaulted in paying the fee. The principal, however, dismissed allegations of harassment and discrimination.

“The half yearly report card issue is to be decided by the school’s managing committee. Only some parents are creating these problems,” she said.

Parents of kids at DLF Public School claimed that they were ready to pay fees as per the old structure but school is not accepting the money.

Vineet Bajaj of DLF Parents’ Association claimed, “To pressurise us to deposit the increased fee, the teachers have started harassing our children. Teachers openly speak ill about the parents and children are categorically pointed out.”

The school has denied the allegations.

“We have not resorted to any such discrimination. Most parents have paid the school fee. It’s only 50-100 parents who are creating problems,” said Rakesh Khullar, Director DLF Public school.

DIOS Ravinder Singh said, “We received a lot of complaints from the parents about the alleged harassment of their children. The schools have been directed to stop any such activity leading to harassment of the children.”

“We would recommend their No Objection Certificate for cancellation if the two schools are found guilty of harassment.”